Can you remember ?

I still think it’s Duxford.

Ashley, re: road path

I lived in DX area from 1964 -> The A505 was continually being redesigned (as it still is. I believe the building in the foreground of the picture is a gas decontamination centre located where the access to Russell Smith Fms now is ( before the turn to Thriplow. Sadly th old boys who I knew who who know ain’t about any more…. maybe this is why we should get it right!!

Right…I’ve dug out the old guidebooks, and found a very similar picture to the one Bruggen posted, which has been labelled as Duxford, but the road layout is different. I believe the one in the old guidebook is of Fowlmere, and this is the photo that MikeJ spoke of…as I am scanner less at the moment, I am going to get my Dad to scan it for me tonight, and I will post it for comparision when I get back on-line on Monday 🙂

Peter,

no, DX walls were part of 1950s expansion, no survivinging E pens, the perimeter air raid shelters also had dispersal billets built in the pen area righht up to early 1960s.

Sorry, I was actually thinking of the huge concrete slab blast walls, the post war ones, hence the West Malling reference.
I realise now the DX pens were wartime E types.

Peter

I’m pretty certain Bruggen’s photo is of Duxford. The road has the right bends in the right places, the admin site seems to look right, and even the ‘odd’ hangar is a few feet out of alignment with the rest, which fits with the remains of the hangar footings at Duxford today.

Someone mention blast pens? You want to go down to Harrowbeer in Devon. Absoluetly full of ’em. My folks live on the edge of the old airfield, and I spent a few misty mornings last summer wandering round and photographing the pens. Really must get round to starting a Harrowbeer Blast pens thread some day…

Yes. There was a fair bit of the “Magical Mystery Tour” filmed there.

Janie was there…………………

Another thought…

One of the ‘New’ T2 hangars isn’t exactly dull, being from a certain RAF Tempsford originally. 161 & 138 SD Squadrons… Course, DX could be like Tempsford is today. Phesants on the runway, an erie and historic ‘barn’ and the rest fields and private properly. The Blackberries (made into a pie the next day) were good too, but I’ll take Duxford as it is today.

Cheers!

Did the Beatles film I am the Walrus there

Yes. There was a fair bit of the “Magical Mystery Tour” filmed there.

Blast walls ! Remember West Malling? (Did the Beatles film I am the Walrus there?) also Tangmere.

Sorry, back to Duxford. I didn’t realise they had blast walls there. Did they always use them on the ‘Y’ shaped hardstands form the 1950’s?

Peter

Thank you PNK

Tremendous pictures PNK. Thank You.

Woody

Just so you don’t all get exited about pictures and “finds”

Prior to Bof B film all the buildings were painted white with black (ish ) roof covering.

All camouflage at DX from the 70’s is as a result of the film.

The airfield was cleared of all props (sic) and debris after the film.

What would be more intersting would be pics from the early ’60’s with blast walls (also at Waterbeach) and billets between air raid shelters and original T2 (up to 1964?).

Extensive use of the airfield was made by the Territorial Army, CUGC (gliding), Agrochemical companies, a number of motor sport groups, a haulage company prior to IWM invlvement.

I have a few bleak pictures from this period which I’ll post when I find them, they simply reinforce the haunting atmosphre of many a deserted airfield.

I think the point is really that when any aircraft collection becomes institutionalised it loses some character. IMHO you have to believe an aircraft can fly otherwise the magic ain’t there.

Glad we have agreed that b/w piccie was DX not Fowlmere, that is how historical innaccuracies start.

Glad The Duxford pictures were okay. A bit large though.

I have found another one. The control tower looks more authentic in this condition. I don’t know if the paintwork was for the Battle of Britain film but I believe there was a lot of chipboard partitions inside.

The missing hangar had no remains as far as I remember.

I have to say that it was the BOB film that prompted us to cycle to Duxford, followed by Debden, which had a gate guardian (Hunter I think).

I also wrote at the time to the East Anglia ??????? Society who were based there. Any one remember them (Or their name)?

Peter

Thanks Peter,
I would have thought more people would have photos of old Duxford.
See you soon I hope.

Steve.

Glad The Duxford pictures were okay. A bit large though.

I have found another one. The control tower looks more authentic in this condition. I don’t know if the paintwork was for the Battle of Britain film but I believe there was a lot of chipboard partitions inside.

The missing hangar had no remains as far as I remember.

I have to say that it was the BOB film that prompted us to cycle to Duxford, followed by Debden, which had a gate guardian (Hunter I think).

I also wrote at the time to the East Anglia ??????? Society who were based there. Any one remember them (Or their name)?

Peter

PNK, very eerie. Have you got any more shots?

Thanks for posting PNK and welcome aboard.

In 1972 was there anything left from the Battle of Britain filming that took place in 68, ie. remains of the old Belfast hangar etc..

Septic.

Just a big space where it used to be :dev2:

I have just read the requests for the “old” Duxford. It prompted me to join today.

Hopefully the two scanned slides dated around July 1972 taken on my Instamatic appear okay.

They were taken whilst on a cycling holiday around the home counties airfields. Duxford was deserted apart from a couple of gliders in one of the hangars. There were brick huts on the south side and I remember cycling around the perimeter from the south and up the main runway heding west and coming back down towards the M11 end, which of course was not there at the time.

In need of some relief after my Top Deck Shandy and individual fruit pie we found that the control tower toilets in working order! The tower was open and we climbed on to the roof.

Probably the most memorable airfield visit!

Thanks PNK, and welcome.
This is just the sort of thing I was looking for, thank you very much.
You can feel the atmosphere in these photographs. I’m sorry to go on but, I feel most of that has gone.
Thanks again PNK for these 2 wonderfull pictures

Concrete woodlouse? Love that 😀

It certainly looks different here now, doesn’t it? No photos from me I’m afraid, but I do have access to a copy of Duxford Air Day 1975 on film if you would like to pop over the road one day and see that? 😉

This is a new one Ashley, any chance of a viewing?

Thanks for posting PNK and welcome aboard.

In 1972 was there anything left from the Battle of Britain filming that took place in 68, ie. remains of the old Belfast hangar etc..

Septic.

Duxford 1972

I have just read the requests for the “old” Duxford. It prompted me to join today.

Hopefully the two scanned slides dated around July 1972 taken on my Instamatic appear okay.

They were taken whilst on a cycling holiday around the home counties airfields. Duxford was deserted apart from a couple of gliders in one of the hangars. There were brick huts on the south side and I remember cycling around the perimeter from the south and up the main runway heding west and coming back down towards the M11 end, which of course was not there at the time.

In need of some relief after my Top Deck Shandy and individual fruit pie we found that the control tower toilets in working order! The tower was open and we climbed on to the roof.

Probably the most memorable airfield visit!